Woodsman&#39;s match holder



g- 20, 1963 L. B. ROS N ETAL 3,397,769

WOODSMAN' S MAT CH HOLDER Filed Jan. 9, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 5 FIG. 4

L EONAPD B ROSEN ANP MARTEN GREEN \NVENTORS BY GEORGE B. OUJEVOLK ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1968 B. ROSEN ETAL WOODSMAN'S MATCH HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1967 FIG. 8

FIG/11 LEONARD B. ROSEN MARTIN GREEN INVENTO RS GEORGE B o UJEVOLK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,397,769 WOODSMANS MATCH HOLDER Leonard B. Rosen, Jamestown, Pa., and Martin Green,

Mahwah, N.J., assignors to Leonard B. Rosen, Jamestown, Pa., and Martin Green, Mahwah, N.J., as partners Filed Jan. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 608,195 4 Claims. (Cl. 20620) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a match box or book of matches one or more chambers are provided for insertion therein of spent matches. In a match box, there is one chamber defined by a lining spread over the bottom of the match container. Matches are inserted into the chamber through an opening at one end of the container. In a book of matches, a lining and corrugation is provided inside the cover and spent matches are inserted in between the corrugations.

The present invention is directed to safety match containers and more particularly to a packaging arrangement for matches having provisions for the disposal of the used matches.

Everyone is quite familiar with the various campaigns conducted by the US. Forest Service, as well as municipal fire departments with regard to the safe use of matches. From all of these campaigns, one important fact is readily apparent, namely, that most hostile fires, or friendly fires which turn into hostile fires start with matches. Although matches were invented almost two hundred years ago, very little improvement has been made in the packaging thereof. Indeed, when a match is used, it is blown out and discarded, often in the nearest clump of bushes. Yet, the used match stick may still have the dull glow of the not-yet extinguished flame so that the hazard of propagation of hostile fires is extremely great.

Also, by now we are all familiar with the slogan Dont be a litterbug. But, smokers, and especially pipe smokers have the bad habit of discarding matches in their own homes as well as in public places, and, they thus cause considerable litter with matches.

Although many attempts may have been made to properly package matches so as to account for the used matches, none, as far as I am aware were completely successful when carried out into practice on a commercial scale.

Therefore, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a package of matches wherein the used matches can be discarded in the package.

Broadly stated, in packaging arrangement wherein a plurality of matches are retained by retaining means such as a match box or a book of matches, the present invention contemplates defining one or more chambers within the retaining means wherein spent matches can be inserted after use.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example preferred embodiments of the inventive idea, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows an exploded View of one embodiment of the match packaging arrangement herein contemplated;

FIGURE 2 presents a front end view of the container for the matches which is shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows a front end view of the cover for the container presented in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a top view of the cover shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 represents a top view of the inside of the container for the matches, when substantially empty;

3,397,769 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 FIGURE 6 illustrates a sectional view along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a top view of a container of the kind shown in FIGURE 1 at a time when about one half of the matches have been used;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional View along line 88 of FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 depicts an open view of another match packaging arrangement contemplated herein;

FIGURE 10 shows a sectional view along line Ill-10 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 presents a side view of the match package of FIGURE 10 in the closed position; and,

FIGURE 12 shows a perspective view of the match package presented in FIGURE 11.

In the arrangement sshown in the drawing, the central idea revolves around the storage of the spent matches in the package which contains the live matches. The package will include a cover 22 having a top 24, a bottom 26 and sides 28 and 30. This cover is basically similar to covers of the prior art. Into this cover will fit a sliding hollow container 32 which is open at the top, and with side walls 33, 34, and end walls 35, 36. Container bottom 38 will slide along cover bottom 26 while Walls 33 and 34 of the container slide along Walls 28 and of the cover.

In front end wall 36 however, there is a small opening 40 sized to receive a spent match stick 44 of a spent match. This small opening 40 leads to a chamber inside the container which is partly defined by an inner lining 42, made of semi-hardened flexible fabric such as metal foil. The live matches 46 will initially be placed on top of this fabric lining 42. The lining is atfixed to the inner portion of side walls 33 and 34 of the container by having portions 48 and 50 of the lining fastened to the inner side walls. However, a space defining a small chamber 52 is left between the lining body 54 and the container bottom 38. Small opening 40 leads to this small chamber 52 so that by inserting spent match 44 into the small opening, the spent match will become lodged in small chamber 52. As more spent matches are inserted into small chamber 52 through small opening 40, the spent matches 44 cause the lining 42 to bulge, pushing the live matches 46 over to one side. The first spent match 44 moves inwards towards the center of the chamber with a pile of spent matches 56 between it and the small opening 40. When all of the live matches have been used and the spent matches inserted into the chamber, the package can be safely discarded in some convenient trash can since the spent matches are then all housed in the fireproof chamber.

It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the arrangement hereinbefore described not only provides for a familiar match-box with a safety container for the discarded matches, but, most important, this match-box packaging arrangement can be produced with virtually the same machinery which is presently used in making the conventional non-safety match box. However, as further illustrated in the drawing, it is also possible to manufacture the familiar package of paperboard matches with conventional machinery and revolving around the same fundamental principle.

There is shown in FIGURE 9 an open book of matches 60 which from the top view looks surprisingly similar to similar books of matches given out with the purchase of smokers supplies. The package includes a cover 62 with a folded portion 64. Stapled between cover 62 and the folded portion 64 is a comb 66 of matches 68 held by fastening means 70 to the cover 62. The outer end of the cover 72 is folded over the matches and inserted into the folded portion 64. The abrasive material which forms no part of the invention has been omitted.

On the inside of the cover 62 is a lining 74, made of flexible, fireproof fabric such as metal foil. Lining 74 is used to define a plurality of individual chambers 76 by a corrugation 78. Each chamber 76 extends across the width of the match book cover and is so sized as to be able to receive therein a spent match 80. Corrugation 78 is made of the same fireproof fabric as lining 74. Therefore, the spent matches are no longer discarded, but can be placed in the defined chambers 76 until all matches are used and the book of spent matches can be thrown in a trash can.

It will be observed therefore that the present invention provides for an improvement in a match packaging arrangement wherein matches are held in retaining means. This improvement includes having at least one spent match chamber defined about the retaining means so that spent matches can be inserted in the chamber after use. The retaining means may be a match box including a cover and hollow container with the defined chamber being located in the hollow container. The defined chamber is preferably defined by a lining fastened to the side walls of the hollow container and disposed over the bottom thereof defining said chamber between the bottom of the container and the lining. An opening is provided in one of the end walls of the hollow container leading to the chamber and sized so as to receive a spent match. This lining should be made of fireproof resilient fabric tending to lie over the bottom of the container when the container is full of matches. The lining bulges with the insertion in the chamber of spent matches. If the opening is located towards one side of the end wall, the spent matches will progressively bulge and push the live matches towards the other side of the container. The concept can also be applied to a book of matches with a foldable cover in which case chambers are defined in the cover. The lining is disposed along the inner surface of the cover and the chambers may be defined by a corrugation interposed between the lining and the cover inner surface. The corrugation should be such as to form chambers properly sized to receive and hold spent matches therein.

Furthermore, the fireproof fabric required for the purpose herein described can readily be manufactured such as by spraying regular cloth with a spray of fireproof aerosol.

Although the present invention has been described in 4. conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope ofthe invention and appended claims.

We claim: I

1. In a match packaging arrangement, a hollow container having an open top, relatively rigid bottom, side and end walls, a flexible lining located within said container and disposed over the bottom of said hollow container, said lining having its entire peripheral edge attached adjacent to the outer edges of said side and end walls and forming an open ended space above said lining entirely Within the confines of said hollow container for unused matches and a confined space below said lining for spent matches, and an opening in one of the end walls leading to said confined space sized to receive a spent match therethrough.

'2. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said packaging arrangement includes a cover, surrounding said open top, bottom and side Walls.

3. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said lining is made of fire-proof fabric and bulges upon the insertion of spent matches into said confined space.

4. The improvement defined in claim 3, wherein said packaging arrangement includes a cover surrounding said open top, bottom and side walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,788,177 1/1931 Traute 20638 X 1,975,732 10/ 1934 Pullen 20629 X 3,028,950 4/ 1962 Content 2293.5 3,317,032 5/ 1967 Zimerman 206-38 FOREIGN PATENTS 413,817 7/1934 Great Britain.

65,238 5/1928 Sweden. 84,560 10/1935 Sweden. 455,417 3/ 1949* Canada.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 

